Synonyms of prying

prying 1 of 4

adjective

ˈprī-iŋ 

1

as in curious

interested in what is not one's own business

as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us

Synonyms & Similar Words

• curious
• inquisitive
• nosy
• interested
• questioning
• intrusive
• meddling
• officious
• meddlesome
• interfering
• concerned
• snoopy
• obtrusive
• interrogative
• inquisitorial
• quizzical
• inquisitional

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• indifferent
• disinterested
• incurious
• uninterested
• unconcerned
• uncurious
• apathetic

2

as in busy

thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited

prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business

Synonyms & Similar Words

• busy
• intruding
• intrusive
• nosy
• meddling
• officious
• interfering
• meddlesome
• annoying
• pushing
• obtrusive
• pushy
• snoopy
• protrusive
• presumptuous
• rude
• presuming
• invading
• impudent
• brazen
• curious
• insolent
• trespassing
• inquisitive
• bumptious
• impertinent
• harassing
• overbearing
• bold
• pestiferous
• superserviceable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unobtrusive
• silent
• quiet
• uninvolved
• withdrawn
• reclusive
• reticent
• retiring
• restrained
• taciturn
• reserved
• inhibited
• hands-off
• subdued

prying

2 of 4

noun

as in questioning

Related Words

• questioning
• interrogation
• inquiry
• interference
• concern
• wonderment
• attentiveness
• intrusiveness
• interest
• inquisitiveness
• regard
• obtrusiveness
• officiousness
• eavesdropping
• curiosity
• nosiness
• meddlesomeness
• curiousness
• rubbernecking

Dissimilar Words

• indifference
• disregard
• incuriosity
• incuriousness
• unconcern
• apathy
• disinterestedness

prying

3 of 4

verb (1)

present participle of pry

1

as in pulling

to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever

it took some effort to pry up the trap door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pulling
• lifting
• breaking
• jimmying
• levering
• dividing
• elevating
• separating
• prizing
• shifting
• detaching
• hoisting
• disengaging
• uplifting
• parting
• breaking up
• disjoining

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• connecting
• joining

2

as in yanking

to draw out by force or with effort

a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pulling
• yanking
• extracting
• plucking
• removing
• uprooting
• tearing (out)
• wringing
• taking (out)
• prizing
• wresting
• corkscrewing
• rooting (out)
• mining
• withdrawing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• inserting
• installing
• instilling
• implanting
• stuffing
• jamming
• wedging
• ramming
• cramming

prying

4 of 4

verb (2)

present participle of pry

as in interfering

to interest oneself in what is not one's concern

don't go prying into other people's business

Synonyms & Similar Words

• interfering
• messing
• snooping
• poking
• intruding
• meddling
• intervening
• obtruding
• nosing
• intermeddling
• interloping
• invading
• butting in
• mucking (about or around)
• encroaching
• fooling
• interceding
• interposing
• tampering
• trespassing
• infringing
• fiddling
• playing
• monkeying
• barging (in)
• chiseling (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• ignoring
• shunning
• eschewing
• neglecting
• disregarding
• overlooking

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective prying contrast with its synonyms?

The words curious and inquisitive are common synonyms of prying. While all three words mean "interested in what is not one's personal or proper concern," prying implies busy meddling and officiousness.

prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business

When is it sensible to use curious instead of prying?

While in some cases nearly identical to prying, curious, a neutral term, basically connotes an active desire to learn or to know.

children are curious about everything

When is inquisitive a more appropriate choice than prying?

The words inquisitive and prying are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inquisitive suggests impertinent and habitual curiosity and persistent quizzing.

dreaded the visits of their inquisitive relatives

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prying

Adjective

But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves. — Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023

But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves. — Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023

The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes). — Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022

To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation. — Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021

Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it. — Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019

Noun

If the convict can help transport the loot from that camp to a safe space far from the government’s prying eyes, the warden will punch his get-outta-jail-free card. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

The guests themselves remained enshrouded in secrecy as black cars were seen driving into a large white tent, with the entrance set off by black curtains, shielding attendees from nearby prying eyes. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, celebrities opting for real-life mountain living include Tom Cruise with his staggering 298-acre mountain estate, as well as Oprah Winfrey, who both chose Telluride, Colorado to build in, live in and escape prying paparazzi. — Catherine Dunwoody, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Part of the Democratic disagreement comes from just how much attention to pay to media outlets’ prying, versus the power of the message. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

The bathroom is encased with polycarbonate walls to let in light but keep out prying eyes. — Clio Chang, Curbed, 30 June 2026

It’s often viewed as a dumping ground for human refuse — out of sight, out of mind — and it is structured to prevent prying eyes. — Gerard S. Williams, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2026

Following Guthrie's prying, Lopez eventually caved in with a concrete answer. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 June 2026

With that said, the game has managed to rack up an impressive five million sales in under a month, developing a dedicated fanbase that's been probing and prying at the game's engine, with delightful and sometimes unexpected results. — Alan Bradley, Space.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Verb

Tall hedges help keep everything nicely hidden from prying eyes. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026

How much of it might be solved by prying them from our children’s hands? — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Since Bill completed his term as the 42nd POTUS in 2001, the political power couple has primarily resided in a Dutch Colonial dwelling in New York’s Westchester County, secluded amongst the trees—and away from prying eyes. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026

Spanning 42 feet long and more than 14 feet wide, the observatory is designed to explore the outer solar system and beyond – prying into previously unobservable areas of the universe to study dark energy and search for exoplanets. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

This is an uncomplicated yarn about a man prying open his heart and nudging other hard nuts to do the same. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

That truce, born from the scars of Europe’s bloody religious wars and America’s own colonial theocracies, was deemed unbreakable, but Falwell was making inroads toward prying it apart. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026

With other phones, even something simple like replacing an aging battery often requires melting adhesive, prying apart fragile glass panels, and decoupling cables. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026

Netflis is keeping the logline a hop, skip and a jump from prying eyes but it is known to be a mother-daughter story involving teleportation. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026